Glory to God!
I have been completely awed at the way God has been speaking through His prophets and apostles over the last two weeks. In all this, the Lord has a simple reminder for us...Remember to give HIM the glory! I just feel lead to share a personal experience today.
We are seeing, and will continue to see the Lord do great exploits through us and others who are CHOSEN to come forth in this season. Even greater works, with signs and miracles following will occur in the very near future. It is so easy to get distracted, yet we must be ever so sensitive and very careful to walk in TRUE HUMILITY.
Let me share a personal experience...
A few weeks ago, the Lord told me not to wear purple anymore. It took me a long time to accept this, because I LOVE purple and black! Anyway, it was also strange, because the Lord had never really dealt with me about colors before. He has given me some instruction on how I dress, but nothing this specific. In addtion to the color, He addressed certain garments and even makeup and jewelry! Yet, there seemed to be stress upon my instruction not to wear purple, especially when dancing or preaching.
In my studying and seeking God for more clarification, I learned that purple represents royalty and PRIDE. I understood the royalty, but had never thought about the prideful portion of that. God said, "I don't want you to praise me in pride." Wow! He has appointed us a royal priesthood in the earth, yet we must remain humble before Him.
Initially, I was hurt because I thought God was saying that I served Him in pride. However, the instruction did not come forth because of what I WAS doing. The instruction came forth to REMIND ME WHAT NOT TO DO. The Lord stripped me of something natural to keep my attention focused in the spiritual.
This was a personal instruction for me, but it carries a message for all of us, especially with the signs and wonders to come. It is so important that we don't exude pride when walking in the POWER and GIFTS He has bestowed upon us.
ACTS 12
21: On an appointed day Herod arrayed himself in his royal robes, took his seat upon [his] throne, and addressed an oration to them.
22: And the assembled people shouted, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man!
23: And at once an angel of the Lord smote him and cut him down, because he did not give God the glory (the preeminence and kingly majesty that belong to Him as the supreme Ruler); and he was eaten by worms and died.
24: But the Word of the Lord [concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God] continued to grow and spread.
In this passage of Scripture, I never thought anything was wrong with the robe Herod wore. After all, he was entitled, as royalty, to wear the robe. God has given us titles, positions, offices and power in the Kingdom as well. We have the authority He has given us, yet we must be careful not to allow the pride to come forth. That's where Herod's error was. Not in the robe itself, nor in his power, but in his allowing the people to worship him while he walked in the authority.
People will begin to pat us on the backs and give compliments. Many will begin preaching all over. While the message of holiness may not be a popular one, the POWER and the SIGNS and WONDERS will attract many. We must be so careful never to allow for the authority given to us by the Father to open a door to pride.
Even as in the Scripture, we are chosen, but we can still fall, God forbid. The Word will still go forth. God has need of us, but He doesn't NEED us. Yes, there is a difference!
To GOD be the glory!
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